Afterward— Kimchi says, that this is the same as, In the last days, Isaiah 2:2 and it is explained by St. Peter, Acts 2:17 of the times of the Gospel. The rabbies affirm, that wherever the words occur, they denote the time of the Messiah; and therefore they refer this prophesy expressly to his days, and make it descriptive of that event which is spoken of Isaiah 11:9. The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord. This is unquestionably the true meaning; and though the things here prophesied of were not to happen till several ages afterwards, yet was the prophesy highly proper to encourage the minds of the pious Jews; as it was an assurance to them, that let them be brought ever so low, by this or any other calamity, yet God would preserve them a people, till all the promises made to their forefathers should be actually accomplished; and especially till the Messiah should come, under whom the knowledge of God should spread itself among all the nations of the earth, and the gifts of the Spirit of God should be poured out in a much more abundant manner than ever they were before. See Chandler.
Dr. Sharpe observes, that the prophet Joel first describes the distress of the Jews by drought and famine; and their destruction in the great day of the Lord, the day of darkness and gloominess, the like to which had never been, nor should be any more after it, to the years of many generations. Then the trumpet sounds again, and proclamation is made of the great things which the Lord will do for his people and his land. He will remove from them the northern army, and restore the years that they had lost by the great army which he had sent among them. After this, the usual transition is made to the gospel age, under the second temple. The extraordinary effusion of the Holy Spirit, which then was poured out upon all flesh, is next foretold in the clearest and strongest terms. The other great day of the Lord, the last destruction of Jerusalem, has then its place; and this part of the prophesy closes with some remarkable words, which may be considered as a short and comprehensive view of the gracious declarations in the new covenant; Joel 2:32. The word רוח ruach, here used for Spirit, often signifies in Scripture those excellent gifts conferred by God on any particular persons; and particularly the gifts of understanding and prophesy, as well as the richest graces on the church at large. See 2 Kings 2:9. Isaiah 2:2-3.Acts 19:2; Acts 19:6. The word flesh is to be understood of man only, as in Genesis 6:12.Isaiah 66:23. &c. &c. So that this prophesy is evidently very extensive, and intended to comprehend persons of every nation, and of all sorts and ranks; as appears from the very next words, Sons and daughters, &c. expressions which denote persons of every age and condition. The gifts here promised are, 1. Prophesy: a word which is used in a very large sense in the sacred writings. See the note on Numbers 25:2. Dreaming of dreams: a method by which God made known his will to the patriarchs and prophets, by impressing their minds while they were asleep, with the things that he intended to communicate: sometimes directly, without any parabolical representation, which was a pure dream; as to Solomon and others: sometimes under such representations and images, as might either be a pure vision, or a vision and dream mixed; as in the case of Pharaoh, Joseph, Daniel, and others. 3. Visions: which sometimes agree with dreams, as they are a representation of divine things to persons in a deep sleep; but differ in this, that the pure dream is always a communication from God to the mind, without the impression of sensible objects on the imagination, and always in a deep sleep; whereas the vision is constantly impressed upon the imaginative faculty, and sometimes happens to the prophet while he is awake. Thus Elijah had a vision from God upon mount Horeb; and St. Peter, to reveal to him that the proselytes were to be admitted into the Christian church: St. John seems to have received all his Revelations in the same manner. In these visions or trances all the external senses seem bound up, that the mind may be wholly attentive to the divine impressions. It is added in the last place, In those days I will pour out my Spirit on the men-servants and the maidservants; to denote that rich and poor, bond and free, persons of all ranks, should be favoured with all the various gifts of that Spirit; as is plain from the beginning of the prophesy; I will pour out, &c. After which the prophet explains the effusion,—by the grant of prophesy, dreams and visions, accompanied with all gospel-grace. What he says, therefore, concerning the men and maid-servants, clearly signifies, that they also shall have the Spirit in all its gifts, as plentifully as the Jews themselves. See Dr. Chandler, and the dissertation at the end of his commentary on Joel. But we must never forget, that on the day of Pentecost, when these rich gifts of the Spirit were poured out, the gospel dispensation or peculiar kingdom of Christ was opened; and greater measures of divine grace were poured forth on the church than ever were given before; and that this abundant measure of the Spirit of grace still continues to be effused on all Christian believers, and will be the grand means of ushering in and establishing the universal reign of Christ upon earth.